By Jean Pierre Bucyensenge: Father Antoine Kambanda, the Rector of the Saint Charles Borromeo Major Seminary of Nyakibanda, has been appointed the new Bishop of Kibungo Catholic Diocese.
Kambanda replaces Monsignor Kizito Bahujumihigo who resigned from the position in 2010.
Since then, Archbishop Thadée Ntihinyurwa, the Bishop of Kigali, has been acting as the caretaker for the Diocese.
A brief communiqué released by the Papal Nuncio Office in Kigali said that Kambanda was appointed Bishop by Pope Francis on Tuesday.
Kambanda is expected to decide on the date of his ordination according to the customary practice within the Roman Catholic Church.
Efforts to get his comment were futile by press time as our numerous calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.
Father Kambanda was born in 1958. He was ordained priest by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Rwanda in 1990.
About new Bishop:
Kambanda has been the Rector of Nyakibanda Major Seminary since 2006 but has previously held other various positions within the Rwandan Catholic Church.
He holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome, Italy.
His predecessor, Monsignor Bahujimihigo, resigned in 2010 amid financial troubles.
Though Bahujimihigo cited personal reasons, sources at the time alleged that he had failed to account for around Rwf400 millions in Church funds.
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